Sylvester WALWORTH

Notes:

Name:
Sylvester is believed to have inherited the homestead of his father. Ally, in his book entitled "Battle of Groton Heights and its Centennial," states that Sylvester Walworth was a volunteer living at that time on the north side of Fort Hill. This seems to fix Sylvester as the inheritor of the old Walworth farm house on or behind Fort Hill, and for many years we find his children grouped together on these lands of their father and grandfather. Some of this land even now (1962) remains in the possession of Sylvester's descendant, Mrs. George Middleton, of Quoketaug, Old Mystic, Conn.

Sylvester was killed at the storming of Fort Griswold by the British under Arnold. He was one of the garrison fatally wounded in the fight and with other prisoners thrown into an ammunition wagon and rolled down the hill. The wagon was saved from running into the River Thames by jarring against a tree. The prisoners, thirty-five in number, including Sylvester Walworth, were taken into the house of Ebenezer Avery nearby. There, Sylvester's wife came to see him, only to find him dead. The grave of the martyred soldier is in the Ledyard Cemetery, but like those of others, who perished with him, unmarked by a tombstone. However, his name appears, with the others, on a monument erected near the site of the Fort.

Sylvester married Sarah HOLMES on 8 Apr 1756. Sarah (daughter of Joshua HOLMES and Mary RICHARDSON) was born on 9 Mar 1729 in Stonington, New London Co. Connecticut. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:
Capt. John Walworth was a shipwright, farmer and trader, as well as a ship owner, and plied the trade with the Barbadoes. We find the following item in Calkins History of New London, Conn., dated September, 1738:
"A sloop from New London is lost at Nevis, being upset in a hurricane; all on board perished. John Walworth, of Groton, owned both the sloop and cargo. John Mumford was the Captain and Thomas Comstock, mate."

John was appointed Cornet of a troop of dragoons in the 8th Regiment of the Colony of Connecticut by a resolution of the General Assembly, May 10, 1744, and was afterwards promoted to the rank of captain. His commission as Cornet was dated at Harford, May 25, 1744, bearing the seal of the Colony and signed by Governor Law. A copy of this is on file among the archives of the State Library at Albany, NY., together with a record of the Revolutionary services of his son, Benjamin.

John, like his father, had a lease on Fisher's Island for a number of years. In 1748, the year of his death, the Groton Town records record the following inventory:

4 negro slaves, a herd of nearly 50 horned cattle, 812 sheep, a stud of 32 horses, mares, and colts, 77 ounces of wrought plate and other valuable articles.

John, like his brothers, died a wealthy man.

John married Sarah B. DUNN in Nov 1718 in New London, New London, Connecticut, USA. Sarah was born in 1700 in Newport, Newport County, Rhode Island; died on 05 Nov 1778 in Groton, New London Co., Connecticut. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: Daughter of Capt. Richard Dunn, Jr. and Hannah (Elizabeth) Bailey of Newport, Rhode Island
• Death: 01 Nov 1778